Rowing towards their future

IZAK Jamieson and Joshua Cool are the first two young men at Springfield Anglican College to take up the opportunity to learn how to row.

Izak and Joshua had some reservation when they both approached their parents to ask if they would allow them to try rowing and both at first were a little dubious. But now they could not be happier with their decision to give the sport a go.

The boys have been taught how to single scull but since they like doing things together, they have decided that they might enjoy rowing as a crew better, which is currently what they are doing.

Izak does not mind admitting he is talented in a number of different sports including tennis and swimming and regards his school, Springfield Anglican College, as a very good sporting school.

"If it wasn't for this school, I would never have known about the youth rowing program run by the Centenary Rowing Club and I would not have participated,” he said.

"I realise I am still very young but I have already set my goals to go to university when I am older. I don't like boasting but I am an A level student, excel in music and science and have always wanted to do well academically as I know this will affect my future.”

Joshua said that rowing was the toughest sport he had yet been involved in but had already learned that you need to work through the various pain levels to achieve your goals.

"I want to become an outstanding rower and hopefully obtain a full scholarship to attend Cambridge University in England and row in the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race that incidentally Cambridge won this year for the first time since 2012,” he said.

The boys have realised that rowing is a tough sport, but have both set their eyes on getting into the development squad at the Centenary Rowing Club with head coach Anthony Shortis.

Mr Shortis has an envious record in teaching potential rowers to succeed and his aim over the next few months is to find the next crop of potential rowing athletes and enter them into national competition.

He has also been responsible for teaching a very large number of young rowers to medal standard at the Australian National Championships.

"The last time our great state of Queensland won the Kings Cup event (the top rowing event at this regatta) was back in 1939 before the Second World War,” Mr Shortis said.

"We need to build the participation numbers in the sport at the bottom part of the pyramid for Queensland rowing.

"The sad thing is that over 95% of children in this state never have the opportunity to row and I believe we have a moral duty to give all children regardless of the school they attend or where they live this opportunity.”